Adjustable head for golf clubs



Oct. 16, 1951 J VER 2,571,970

ADJUSTABLE HEAD FOR GOLF CLUBS Filed May 1, 1947 I INVENTOR. JOSEPH VERDERBER ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 16, 1951 UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE FOR GOLF CLUBS Joseph Verderber, Cleveland, Ohio Application May 1, 1947, Serial No. 745,324

This invention relates to golf clubs and more particularly to golf clubs of the type having an angularly adjustable head.

The present invention has as its primary obdicating the relative angularity of the club head upon adjustment.

Another object of the invention is to provide 6 Claims. (Cl. 116133) such means by utilizing the existing elements of the golf club, that is, without the use of additional parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide indicating means that will not be subject to wear through use and therefore will maintain its accuracy throughout the life of the golf club.

Still another object of the invention is to provide indicating means which are easily and economically manufactured.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a, part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, 7

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the lower portion of a golf club embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the parts in Fig. 1, as viewed from the right of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing the parts in the locked position.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, similar to Fig. 2, cutaway to show the index groove in relation to the openings in the head.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing the parts in the unlocked position.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary view of the openings, showing the indicia characters which are stamped on the head beneath the openings.

Referring now to the drawings, the arrangement and construction of the parts will be seen to be similar to that shown in Figs. 11 .to 16 inclusive of my pending application for patent on a golf club, Serial No. 614,461, filed September 5, 1945, now U. S. Patent No. 2,455,150.

The upper extremity of the hosel I is attached to the shaft (not shown) of the golf club and is elbowed as at 2 to form the shank 3 which terminates in an extension 4 of reduced diameter.

The club head 5 is mounted on the shank 3 in such a manner as to be rotatable about the shank when released from looked engagement with the latter. For this purpose, the head 5 is provided I with a longitudinally extending bore 6 which has ject the provision of improved means for ina series of longitudinally spaced annular rows of serrations or teeth 1 which extend radially-inwardly from the wall of said bore and which are designed to coact with similarly spaced annular rows of serrations or teeth 8 which are formed by removing portions of the shank 3.

The shank 3 and extension 4 have a longitudinal bore 9 extending therethrough which is counterbored as at to and is counterbored as at I! to form the shoulders I2 and I3 at the juncture of the counterbore l0 and II with the bore 9. The bore 5 of the head 5 is adapted to receive a nut l4 having a sleeve-like recess l5, the internal walls of which provide a bearing surface for the extension 4 of shank 3. The nut I4 is of such external diameter as to be rigidly maintained in the bore 6, and further, is pinned as at I6 to the head 6 so as to be immovable relatively to the latter.

The nut 14 is provided with a tapped opening I! adapted to receive the threaded portion of the screw l8 which passes through the bore 9 and the counterbore I! and the head of which bears against the shoulder I2. A compression coil spring I9 is carried by the screw l8 and bears against the shoulder l3 at one extremity and against the nut It at its other extremity, thereby resiliently maintaining the longitudinal position of the head 5 relatively to the shank 3, i. e., in locked engagement.

It is thus apparent that the interengagement of the teeth 1 and 8 locks the head 5 against axial rotation about the shank 3 and forms a union of rugged and durable construction. When it is desired to adjust the angularity or loft of the head 5 from an angle such as shown in dotted outline in Fig. 5 to an angle such as shown in solid lines in Fig. 5, it is only necessary to move the head 5 toward the hosel I, or to the left, as viewed in Fig. 3, which movement will disengage the teeth 1 and 8. The head 5 may then be freely rotated to the desired angle, after which it may be released and the spring l9 will return it to the locked position, where it again will be rigidly maintained by interaction of the teeth I and 8.

In order that the golfer may quickly and easily determine the relative angularity or loft of the face 20 of the club head 5, novel indicating means are provided. These means comprise a longitudinal index groove 2|, formed on the periphery of the shank 3, which is made visible externally of the head by a plurality of longitudinally and circumferentially spaced openings 22 in the arcuate rear surface 23 of the head. It is desirable to seal the openings 22 with a clear transparent material which will permit the groove 2! to be seen externally of the club and which will, at the same time, keep the bore 5 free from dirt or other foreign matter which might otherwise enter through the openings. Suitable indicia, as shown in Fig. 7, are used to identify each one of the openings 22. It is preferred that the groove 21 be coated with a color such as red or White, so as to make its position readily visible through the openings 22.

Thus, as the head 5 is rotated about the shank 3, the groove 2| appears successively in each of the openings 22, and by means of the indicia, P, I, 2, 4 etc. beneath the openings, the golfer can readily ascertain the relative angle or loft of the face 20. For example, when the groove 2! appears in the opening designated P, the head 5 is in position to be used as a putter; when the head is rotated until'the groove appears in the opening 6, the golf club may be used as a No. 6

iron.

Having thus described my invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangement of parts, without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. Means for indicating the relative angularity between a shaft and a sleeve member mounted for axial rotation thereon, said means comprising a single longitudinally extending reference mark on said shaft and a plurality of longitudinally and circumferentially spaced apertures in said sleeve member whereby said reference mark is visible successively through each of said apertures upon rotation of said sleeve member relatively to said shaft.

2. Indicating means, as defined in claim 1, wherein indicia are provided on said sleeve member for identifying said apertures.

3. Indicating means, as defined in claim 1 in which said reference mark is distinctive in color.

4. Indicating means, as defined in claim 1, in

visible successively in each of said apertures upon relative rotation between said sleeve member and said shaft.

6. Means for indicating the relative angularity between a shaft and a sleeve member mounted for axial rotation thereon, said means comprising a single longitudinally extending reference mark on said shaft, and a plurality of apertures on said sleeve member, each of said apertures beingunidirectionally spaced circumferentially and longitudinally from its next adjacent aperture,v said circumferential spacing between adjacent apertures being less than the circumferentially extending dimension of one of said apertures, whereby said reference mark is visible in at least one of said apertures at every position of relative angularity of said shaft.

JOSEPH VERDERBER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 640,145 Mudd Dec. 26, 1899 863,456 Schwab Aug. 13, 1907 1,956,560 Carpenter May 1, 1934 2,239,842 Evans Apr. 29, 1941 2,303,521 Ackermann Dec. 21, 1942 2,381,636 Bancroft Aug. I, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 21,261/35 Australia Feb. 20, 1936 

